Bolivian Protestors Attack Minister's Convoy

Bolivian Protesters Attack Minister’s Convoy as Unrest Intensifies BOLIVIA Bolivia Anti-government protesters attacked the convoy of Bolivia’s public works minister over the weekend as mass demonstrations demanding the resignation of center-right President Rodrigo Paz intensified amid nationwide blockades and unrest. The incident occurred Saturday while Public Works Minister Mauricio Zamora was overseeing an operation to clear highway roadblocks set up by demonstrators seeking to slow the movement of goods into the administrative capital, La Paz, and the nearby city of El Alto. Officials said the operation aimed to establish “humanitarian corridors,” but protesters responded with fierce resistance, reportedly attacking the convoy with stones and dynamite. Zamora’s vehicle became separated from the group during the clashes, although authorities later said he was found safe afterward. The unrest comes roughly six months after Paz took office promising to resolve Bolivia’s worst economic crisis in decades. His administration’s policies, including a shift toward the United States and the removal of long-standing fuel subsidies, have sparked public anger and demands for his resignation. The protests have included repeated clashes between demonstrators and police, while trade unions and supporters of former leftist President Evo Morales have organized widespread roadblocks across the country. Officials said blockades were active at 59 locations across six of Bolivia’s nine administrative regions. The disruptions have severely affected transportation and the delivery of goods into major cities, prompting regional and US aid efforts. Meanwhile, authorities said that at least 120 people have been detained since the protests began nearly three weeks ago. Paz said his government remained open to dialogue with protesters but warned there were limits to negotiations and that he could invoke constitutional measures, including a state of emergency, if necessary. Morales has called on Paz to resign and demanded new elections within 90 days “to calm the country.” Paz’s administration has accused Morales and his supporters of fueling the unrest.